&nbsp863 &nbspNOAK49 PAMC 151931 &nbspPNSMCG &nbspAKZ227-160100- &nbsp &nbspPUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT &nbspNATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MCGRATH AK &nbsp1131 AM AKDT THU JUN 15 2017 &nbsp &nbsp...DISCONTINUATION OF MARINE VHF RADIO BROADCASTS IN ALASKA &nbspREGION ON AUGUST 1, 2017... &nbsp &nbspEFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 2017, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) &nbspALASKA REGION PLANS TO DISCONTINUE ALL VOICE MARINE WEATHER &nbspBROADCASTS VIA VHF RADIO. MARINE WEATHER AND FORECAST &nbspINFORMATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE ON NOAA WEATHER &nbspRADIO ALL HAZARDS (NWR), WHICH ALSO BROADCASTS IN THE VHF &nbspRADIO BAND. THESE NWR BROADCASTS ARE AN IMPROVEMENT OVER &nbspTHE VOICE VHF BROADCASTS BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE CONTINUOUS AND &nbspMORE COMPREHENSIVE WEATHER INFORMATION. &nbsp &nbspORIGINALLY, VHF VOICE BROADCASTS WERE PERFORMED NOT ONLY TO &nbspDISSEMINATE MARINE WEATHER INFORMATION, BUT TO RECEIVE WEATHER &nbspOBSERVATIONS FROM MARINERS. WITH IMPROVEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY &nbsp(NWR, SMARTPHONES AND THE INTERNET), WSOS HAVE OBSERVED &nbspAN APPARENT DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF VHF USERS, AND A &nbspTREMENDOUS DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF WEATHER OBSERVATIONS &nbspRECEIVED FROM MARINERS DURING THESE BROADCASTS. FOR THESE &nbspREASONS, AND BECAUSE NWR ALREADY PROVIDES OBSERVATIONS AND &nbspMARINE FORECASTS 24X7, THE NWS IN ALASKA REGION PLANS TO &nbspDISCONTINUE THE VHF BROADCASTS. &nbsp &nbspWSO MCGRATH IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO PERFORM DAILY VHF &nbspBROADCASTS ON CHANNEL 7 AT 0700 AND 1600 LOCAL TIME. THESE &nbspBROADCASTS WILL BE DISCONTINUED AS OF AUGUST 1, 2017. ON OR &nbspBEFORE THAT DATE, MARINERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ACCESS NWR &nbspBROADCASTS USING THE STATION LISTING PROVIDED IN THE FOLLOWING &nbspURL. &nbsp &nbspHTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/NWR/COVERAGE/STATIONS.PHP?STATE=AK &nbsp &nbspIF YOU HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT: &nbsp &nbspANGEL CORONA &nbspACTING CHIEF, SYSTEMS OPERATION DIVISION &nbspEMAIL: ANGEL.CORONA@NOAA.GOV &nbspNATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, ALASKA REGION HEADQUARTERS &nbspANCHORAGE, AK 99513 &nbspWORK 907-271-5119 &nbsp &nbspNATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS ARE ONLINE: &nbsp &nbsp HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM &nbsp &nbsp &nbspMRC JUN 17 &nbsp